The Most Beautiful Cemeteries in New England
Dating back to the 19th-century, these garden-style cemeteries are considered some of the most beautiful cemeteries in New England.
By Aimee Tucker|Oct 05 2022|
Swan Point Cemetery | Most Beautiful Cemeteries in New England
Credit: Aimee TuckerAre you a Tombstone Tourist? Do you enjoy visiting cemeteries as a destination for art, history, nature, and serenity? If so, you’re in luck. New England is home to several historic “garden-style” or “rural” cemeteries, a landscape style made popular throughout the 19th-century by combining “final resting place” with a “place of natural beauty,” making them a popular destination for both the living and the recently living. Stroll one of these historic, garden-style cemeteries today and see why we’ve named them the most beautiful cemeteries in New England.
The Most Beautiful Cemeteries in New England | Garden-Style
Credit: John Phelman/Wikimedia Commons
Mount Auburn Cemetery | Cambridge, MA
Founded in 1831, Mount Auburn is often cited as not just one of the most beautiful cemeteries in New England, but also in the world. It was the first of the 19th-century “rural cemetery” movement that combined cemeteries with park-style landscaping. Walking paths wind between more than 5,000 trees and more than 30,000 monuments, including top displays from early American sculptors. Famous “residents” include artist Winslow Homer, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and cookbook author Fannie Farmer, though in total over 90,000 people are buried at Mt. Auburn. Guided tours of the cemetery’s historic, artistic, and horticultural points of interest are available and well worth it.
If you like Mount Auburn Cemetery, you may also wish to visit historic Forest Hills Cemetery in nearby Jamaica Plain, founded in the same garden style in 1848.
Mount Hope Cemetery | Bangor, ME
Founded in 1834, Mount Hope Cemetery in the up-and-coming town of Bangor was likely modeled after Mount Auburn Cemetery’s “garden” style. Its prestige and beauty made it a natural, attractive resting place for Maine’s political elite — including the gravesites of a Vice President, two Senators, eleven Congressmen, two U.S. Ambassadors, five Governors of Maine, eight Civil War Generals, and numerous other prominent Maine businessmen and residents. Whew!
Credit: Aimee Tucker
Swan Point Cemetery | Providence, RI
Founded in 1846, Swan Point Cemetery’s original 60 acres (now 200) of meticulously maintained grounds, trees, and walking paths have long been a serene sanctuary for many Ocean State residents. Dozens of Rhode Island political and military figures are buried today at Swan Point, including Civil War General Ambrose Burnside and Major Sullivan Ballou, a Smithfield native who died following the First Battle of Bull Run in the summer of 1861. The heartfelt letter he penned to his wife, Sarah, in the days leading up to the battle, expressing an honest meditation on patriotism and death, was memorably featured in Ken Burns’s award-winning 1990 documentary The Civil War.
LEARN MORE! Swan Point Cemetery | Local Treasure
Credit: Teri Demaille
Cedar Hill Cemetery | Hartford, CT
Founded in 1866, Cedar Hill was designed to serve as a “rural cemetery” in the style of Mount Auburn Cemetery, with mature trees, walking paths, and gravestones doubling as art. It spreads over three towns (Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington) spanning 273 acres, including the Northam Memorial Chapel and Gallup Memorial Gateway. Group or self-guided tours available.
Credit: David Wilson/Flickr
Hope Cemetery | Barre, VT
When the “granite capital of the world” town of Barre, Vermont, founded Hope Cemetery in 1895, it was understood that its stones would be something special. Serving as both cemetery and unofficial art gallery, its original 53 (today 65) acres display masterful carvings by many of the world’s top granite sculptors. In fact, a large number of the tombstones mark the graves of the sculptors themselves, and were sometimes even carved by the very artist who now lies beneath it.
Are these the most beautiful cemeteries in New England? Let us know!
This post was first published in 2014 and has been updated.
You may also like:
Most Haunted Hotels in New England
Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery | Where Concord’s Legends Lie
America’s Oldest Cemetery | Miles Standish Cemetery
I love cemeteries…not just for the natural beauty of the Earth but also for the history. I love to look at the headstones and read the names of those who have gone before and imagine what their stories are. I am also a lover of old and unusual names.
I think Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY should have definitely made the list.
I’m pretty sure Brooklyn is not in New England.
It is. All of New York is considered New England.
I have a beautiful picture of a cemetery in Manchester, NH. One of my absolute favorite places to photo :). I’d love to send a photo somehow. Real nice fall colors. Beautiful cemetery setting. They do an amazing job there-
I grew up very close to a small cemetary named Guntown Cemetary as a kid we would always explore it and read the names, it’s not a beautiful cemetary buy very old and supposdly haunted, popular around halloween. Found this excerpt online: One of the oldest cemeteries in the area, the Gunntown Cemetery in the Millville section of Naugatuck, CT dates back over two centuries to 1790, and features numerous headstones from the Colonial era. A smallish plot, it is enclosed by a stone wall and an iron gate
Brooklyn, NY is not in New England.
I know, it’s beautiful and I know there are MANY beautiful ones in NH, one of them should have made the list!
Hi Shannon and Tina. We chose these cemeteries because they fit the historic “garden style” that was popular during the 1800’s. We think the park-like landscaping makes them especially beautiful, but we’d love to hear about any other cemeteries you think fit the bill. Let us know!
Old Willamantic Cemetery is full of history and amazing monuments.
Block Island’s cemetery is one of the lovliest I’ve ever seen. Truly one of a kind and I read this article as I expected it to top the list!
I too expected to see the cemetery on Block Island listed as one of the top ones-We have a beautiful cemetery here on the Island-It sits on the hill overlooking the water- beautifully kept.We call it “The Silent City”
The Lowell Cemetery is another beautiful one, and there is a wonderful tour of the historic grounds!
the majority of Mount Auburn Cemetary is located n Watertown not Cambridge MA
Hi Joan. The mailing address for Mount Auburn Cemetery is 580 Mount Auburn Street in Cambridge, so that’s why we’ve listed it as being located there. Thanks for your comment!
Forest Hills cemetery. Boston MA 02130
The cemetery located on Cuttyhunk Island. One of the stones reads, “An island girl come home”.
Riverside Cemetery in Fairhaven, MA should have made this list, maybe even as #1….
I agree with Riverside in Fairhaven. My husband has family buried there going back to the Civil War.
I was scrolling through this list to see if Riverside Cemetery in Fairhaven was listed. One might note that the Delano family (FDR’s grandparents and, I think, some other family members) are buried there.
I was raised in Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro vt. My dad was caretaker there for over 40 years. It is a beautiful place to walk around. Almost 5 miles of road.
2nd the recommendation for Lowell Cemetery.
Having lived many years in New England, there were so many I visited for the history alone. The different designs carved on the headstones/tombstones were in, of themselves, worth seeing. Thanks for this wonderful information.
I was there when little to visit my great grandmothers Grave , it is in Arlington Cemetary i heard it was very beautiful, been yrs since i was there
The only day I ever skipped school a friend and I left BUHS and went down to Morningside Cemetery just to wander around and read stones. That was in 1959, I’ve been back several times since and enjoy it every time. I like the way it sort of blends in with Prospect Cemetery.
I’d add Springfield Cemetery in Massachusetts to the list.
I worked across the river from Mt Auburn Cemetary, and often drove over to sit and eat lunch in the peaceful and beautiful surroundings. Some of the memorials are quite astounding, and the landscape planting is stunning all year round.
NY is not in New England.
Eastport, Maines Hillside cemetery is old and rustic (beautiful)
I have been there many times. Eastport is where my Mother came from. My grandparents are buried there with aunts and uncles. I was there to lay my aunt to rest in 2007. Eastport is special and will always have a place in my heart.
Pine Grove Cemetary in Lynn, MA
It’s a beautiful park setting. They have many varieties of trees and most are marked with common and Latin names.
I lived across the street!
Yes it is very peaceful and beautiful.
New York is most definitely not New England
Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, Maine is so full of history and beauty…..and most of my relatives.
Woodlawn Cemetery Everett , Mass Truly A Hidden Gem Come and visit – I have been there over 45 years !!! We never get credit for the beauty I think some do not know about this garden cemetery north of Boston
The Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, MA is just beautiful. It is styled after Mount Auburn. The grounds are similar to a park and the office will give you a booklet so that you can take a walking tour. Many notable people are buried there. Brides take their wedding pictures in there. My whole family is buried there and I love going and sitting down because it is so pretty and peaceful.
I agree with commenter Kelly and others about the pleasure in visiting old cemeteries. They are beautiful, fascinating, respectful, thought-provoking places. Thanks for the article.
You failed to mention the Hingham Cemetery, the South Shore’s only arboretum and a hidden gem. It’s like a journey back into 400 years of New England history.
Love old cemeteries. Once, in Boston, we were walking back to our hotel and came upon the Old Grainery Cemetery. Could not resist wandering through it. It was so full of American history.
Granary Burying Ground
Mayflower Cemetery in Duxbury, MA is a gorgeous one as well.
Did a photo shoot for the beautiful Duxbury church/grounds for graphics works for them, all was fine until one part in the cemetery “something” shut down the Canon camera, no matter how many fresh batteries where cycled thru the camera….you would have thought it would have happened at the grave sites across the road that splits the grounds. Later the shots shown white “hot spots” that blotted out most that picture.
My small town of Readsboro, VT has 4 cemeteries. We have been restoring the old stones, putting them on new foundations and cleaning the stones. Many from the 1700’s and wonderful to read about them. We are truly proud of our cemeteries and invite all to visit.
Newton Cemetery in Newton, Massachusetts is another beautiful garden cemetery in the Boston area.
Your post about Newton Cemetery literally made my day; I’m off to ck it out! Thanks!
I love old cemeteries! When we were in Concord, MA a few months ago, we spent a whole afternoon wandering through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. What a fascinating walk through history.
I have relatives resting very long ago in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. I hope to visit one of these times when I am in New England.
Check out Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst, MA: http://wildwood-cemetery.com
I grew up in Providence R.I. and spent many happy hours riding my bicycle through Swan Point Cemetery. It is indeed a unique and special place where my family and loved one are now resting. I will be there eventually and there is not a more beautiful or peaceful place for my final rest. Deborah C. Almy
I also grew up in Providence and often rode my bike through the cemetery as well. So beautiful!
The Millis Cemetery in Millis, Ma.is very beautiful.Sen.John Kennedy spoke there when he was in Congress. My husband and I visit at least yearly.
my grandfather Richard Harrison, my Grandmother Thelma Harrison are buried there. I grew up in Millis, Medway, Medfield, etc.. my uncle will be buried there when the time comes. my brother Kevin had a girlfriend Diana back in the early 80’s is also buried there, She died in a car accident.. it was a life time ago.. the 60’s, 70’s, etc. plus I grew up in the diner business at my grandmother and my mother’s resturant’s both were in Millis..
Swan Point holds a special place in my heart ~ my parents, my youngest sister, and my paternal grandmother are buried there. The family plot is located in the historic section and was purchased by Daniel Thurber in the early 1930’s; he was also a superintendent of Swan Point for a number of years. My dad was a Thurber and a Providence, RI native. When our time comes, my husband and I will be buried in that same plot.
Hull Village Cemetery on a hill overlooking Boston Lighthouse and containing graves (dating from the 1600’s including many ship captains’ tombstones) is very scenic. It is located on Telegraph Hill just below Fort Revere. Many from my family are buried there.
In Lenox MA there is an old cemetary behind The Church On The Hill. My relatives are buried there. Beautiful.
I would add the cemetery in Saco, Maine. Lots of trees, trim grass, with the beautiful Saco River in the back ground. The foliage in the fall, beautiful colors.
Agree. It’s called, Laurel Hill Cemetery at 235 Beach St, Saco Me. We just discovered it after family mentioned it’s beauty. Amazing setting, trees, shrubs, and very old graves. Sits by ocean cove. Each spring it’s noted for the blooms of day lillies that spread down hillside to waters edge. Found this place to be so serene and moving. Recommend if in area.
I recall amazing “hosts of golden daffodils” there in April-May, worth a special trip for that reason alone.
Laurel Hill Cemetery should be considered with photos of its Daffofils and Jonquils throughout the cemetery, especially along the Saco River Tidal waters in the Springtime. This is also one Of New England’s finest Arboretum. Roger Tousignant. Old Orchard Beach Maine
The Bennington, Vermont cemetery where Robert Frost is buried impressed me. The old marble stones are an amazing pristine white.
Dublin Cemetery in Dublin, NH deserves at least an honorable mention. Great view of the lake and Mount Monadnock.
I agree! I don’t know how Yankee Magazine exclude this beautiful cemetery. Their office is just down the road.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who finds strolling through a cemetery interesting. Actually their some of the best parks any town/city has to offer. The history on headstones can be fascinating as are the designs.
I can’t believe that not a single cemetery in New Hampshire did NOT make your list! There are six states in New England, and you only listed one in every one of five New England states?
Maybe no one entered a picture or a nomination for New Hampshire. That is why it may not be listed. Living in Connecticut we get overlooked for a lot of things also but we get our share as a New England state.
The cemetery on the Town Commons in Little Compton, RI is pretty too. Especially with the church in the background.
Manchester NH’s Valley Street Cemetery is a lovely spot; unfortunately, it’s not a safe place to ramble alone nowadays.
Quidnessett Memorial Cemetery is a beautiful well kept Cemetery in North Kingstown RI. It has a nice pond with geese and other wild animals.
Maybe it’s not “beautiful”,but you can’t talk about New England cemeteries without mentioning Plymouth! With all the alleged history surrounding it in almost theme-park fashion, you can still climb that hill on a peaceful weekday, in spring or fall ideally,and cast your mind back …..look out to sea,and just for a moment forget the present….
Another stunning cemetery with a fascinating history is Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, Maine. Founded in 1844, Laurel Hill Cemetery is situated on the banks of the Saco River. Each spring there’s an incredible display of daffodils growing wild along the steep hillside leading down to the Saco River. With its winding paths, gazebos and small stone church, Laurel Hill is frequented by locals for daily walks (this cemetery seems made for touring), special event photography (high school students often gather here with their parents for prom photos), and weddings. Truly a special place.
Beautiful cemeteries; people are just dyin’ to get in…
Oak Grove Cemetery in Enfield, NH is a private cemetery very well taken care of with a beautiful view of Mascoma Lake.
Another lakeside cemetery is Lakeview in Burlington, Vermont, with a stunning view of Lake Champlain.
The garden cemetery in Newton, MA. My uncle was the gardener there in the 50s and 60s, and it is still a beautiful tranquil setting. As kids we visited the cemetery to see the swans that lived there, a long ago memory.
Don’t forget the cemetery in Bennington, Vermont, where Robert Frost is buried. His tomb stone says: I’ve had a lover’s quarrel with the world.
The statement is on the tombstone. The “grave” is where he is buried in the earth.
Connecticut has some beautiful cemeteries, of note is Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport. Lovely park like landscape, and burial place of P.T. Barnum, Tom Thumb and his wife, and hymn writer Fanny Crosby, and other local dignitaries.
My parents, grandparents, in-laws and other relatives are also buried in Mountain Grove, not far from P.T. and Miss Crosby. It is beautiful and should be included in in any article about New England cemeteries.
One of the most noted beautiful, serene, historic cemeteries is the Lowell Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts. Both my parents, and other family members, are buried there. You enter through gorgeous stone walls with iron gates and bells ring as you drive in for the internment. The chapel in there is also very special. There are many unusual and beautiful stones and sculptures throughout. Certainly a place to visit if you’re in that area.
My ancestral family was Graves, came into Mass. from England around 1645.
There are a lot of Graves in the New England cemeteries!
1620-1650, a book we found, has many Graves in it, 1638 first Usher, Buried in Kings Chappel, Boston. Have a tree planted on Boston Common, with a Plac, interesting !
Quabbin Cemetery in Ware Ma. is a beautiful setting with trees and scrubs, statues and even war monuments along with all the gravestones. The cemetery has a unique history: the graves from the towns that were being flooded for Boston’s new water supply back in the 1920s and 30s were all gathered and moved to this property. My father’s family lived in one of these to-be-flooded towns. When I was a child, we would have picnics in the cemetery because it was so charming and peaceful. My parents are now buried there, and whenever I get home to Massachusetts, I stop by. Quabbin Reservoir has paths and picnic areas and is a lovely place to spend some time in nature.
Hi Kathy – my grandparents and great grandparents are buried there too. My grandfather was one of the surveyors on the project to flood the towns and the building of the cemetery. We too have picnics there and it is peaceful and beautiful.
Pine Grove in Lynn, Ma.
Beautiful trees and a lovely Chapel.
I was going to add this one too – pond, beautiful trees and hills. Very nice statues at the Civil War and World War I soldiers’ plots, nice allee of beeches not far from the former.
For beautiful very old headstones the Old Deerfield Cemetery is lovely
Lake View Cemetery in Cochituate Ma my pick
As for identifying Mt. Auburn Cemetery by its Cambridge mailing address, short of mailing yourself there, visitors and long term residents will most likely find themselves in Watertown, not Cambridge.
Hi Marilynne. We listed Mt. Auburn in Cambridge because on the “Getting Here” page on their website, they say “We are located at: 580 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.” They go on to say “Mount Auburn Cemetery is located on the Cambridge/Watertown line on Mount Auburn Street, just off Storrow Drive. You can drive through the Cemetery and may park on any roads without a green line.” Hope this is helpful for future visitors!
It is true that of the 174 acres of the cemetery only 10 are in Cambridge. Those 10 acres happen to encompass the entrance and a few feet in along the Mt Auburn Street border, hence the address. The picture of the Mary Baker Eddy Monument (shown in the picture above) is located in Cambridge, although the shot was taken in Watertown.
Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven Connecticut is beautiful, easily access and full of historical patrons. Check it out with a self guided tour! See https://www.grovestreetcemetery.org/explore/visiting/tours
I was hoping to see Rock Hill Cemetery in Foxboro,Mass.Very picturesque overlooking a pond,some very old gravestones that are in wonderful condition.the burial areas are tiered in 3 large rows..
Elm grove cemetery. Mystic Ct. A few sea captains
Hillside Cemetery in Torrington CT was designed by the sons of Frederick Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in NYC. 4 generations of my family is buried there.
When I visit my hometown, Torrington, I visit the resting place of my Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, nephews and many other family members. Just being at Hillside is being at peace with the world.
Hopedale Village Cemetery in Hopedale, Massachusetts. It’s where I want to be buried.
A historic cemetery on Nantucket is Prospect Hill Cemetery. “If you stroll the cemetery roads and paths and scrutinize the names on the stones, you will find material and to spare for the ancestral roll call of the island.” These were words written by Florence Bennett Anderson in Through the Hawse-Hole the True Story of a Nantucket Whaling Captain, the biography of her great great grandfather Captain Seth Pinkham interred at Prospect Hill Cemetery. http://www.prospecthillcemetery.com/
I.C. Cemetery in Marlborough, MA. The oldest headstones start at the top of the hills and are followed chronologically all the way down. My parents are buried in the 1960’s section as my father died in 1961. A boy who died in Vietnam is in that section as well. My husband and I will also be buried at that plot.
Sleepy Hollow in Concord is one of my favorite places! Author’s Ridge is there where Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne and the Alcott family rest. It is one of the most serene places.
Having lived here for nearly 50 years, I would certainly include Mystic’s Elm Grove cemetery, situated directly on the Mystic River. I have spent many tranquil hours there, and my daughter learned her alphabet there, thanks to the many block-lettered stones that were just her height at the time. From a wonderful description by Marilyn Comrie, a well-known town historian: “Part of the rural cemetery movement of the mid-nineteenth century, Elm Grove represents the Victorian approach to eternal rest – a park setting of rolling hills, brooks, and trees, showcasing ornate sepulchers of Egyptian, Greek and Gothic architecture, decorated with flowers, willow trees, crowns, and trumpeting figures – a stark contrast to the Puritan graveyards of the eighteenth century, whose menacing skulls and crossbones emphasized the finality of death.”
As a 60 year resident of Mystic I certainly agree that Elm Grove Cemetery belongs on the list.
Yes, I will agree. And then there is the Abington Cemetery and Old Abington in Abington CT.
My parents, youngest sister, and a number of other relatives are buried at Swan Point Cemetery. One relative – Daniel Thurber – was Superintendent back in the 1930s and purchased a parcel of land for the family plot. Although my husband is a Nantucket native and has relatives buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery, we’ve chosen Swan Point.
We all know NY is not New England but for those adventurous enough to cross the border into NY, there are a “few” cemeteries of interest. Many years ago ( I need to confirm exact dates ) the Adirondacks were part of Vermont. If you just look at the natural geography before human made constructs, the land is very much “New England”. Of course, Brooklyn is not upstate next to Vermont but some brave souls may enjoy the beautiful cemeteries located there.
Someone should really check out the Lowell Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. When there’s a funeral you enter through the metal gates with chimes playing and the stones are worth the trip.
While I live in NC now, my vote would be for the lovely, small cemetery behind the Congregational Church (1831) in the pastoral village of N. Scituate, RI.
I was the sextant (cemetary caretaker) for a small town in Maine many years back. I found some of the most beautiful cemetaries were located way out in the woods. Areas that were once open fields with farms, have been reclaimed by the woods. These were cemetaries which no longer had relatives to come visit and place flowers. It was my job however, to mow what grass was there, and clear away any bushes that were trying to over take these small long forgotten plots. They were the most beautiful little places I’ve seen. Shaded by tall old trees.
Lovely wild flowers like violets, tiger lillies, and daisies. The only sound was the birds and squerrells. I only wish I had taken pictures so others could see these beautiful lost, forgotten spots.
The Lowell Cemetery in Lowell,Ma is Beautiful. It too is a “Garden Cemetery” founded in the 1800’s. There are some very interesting people buried there as well as interesting monument. One features a lifesize lion . When you enter through the Lawrence St gate for a funeral, you hear chimes being played.
I grew up in Lowell, and yes it is a beautiful cemetery. The lion statue you mention was the grave of Dr. J.C. Ayer, the patent medicine king of the 19th century for whom the town of Ayer, Massachusetts is named after.
I’m surprised no mention was made of the old Rockingham meeting house and it’s beautiful cemetery. It sits on a sloping hill and is full of 18th century graves. Located many of my ancestors, the Webbs, buried there. Early settlers of that area in Vermont. They also had a dedicated pig pen style pew for the family in the meeting house. Lovely serene location.
Another vote for Elm Grove on the Mystic River just north of Mystic Seaport. Final home for ship captains and their families as well as many of the founding families of Mystic and Stonington Connecticut.
Annisquam, MA. It’s a village of either Rockport or Gloucester, can’t remember. Go in the fall.
Our Dublin Cemetary may not have the glamor of these other cemeteries but it is equally beautiful from my point of view. The gentle slope looks out over Dublin Lake and any time of the year the views are beautiful. Not to mention it’s the best place to watch local fireworks on the 4th of July!
And then there’s Forest Hills Cemetery with famous people, incredible and diverse monuments plus ponds, woods and hills: 95 Forest Hills Ave, Boston, MA 02130
How about Waterside cemetery in Marblehead. Over looking Salem harbor You’ll forget why you are there it’s so beautiful.
while searching for the Hope cemetery, in Barre VT, we stopped at a small pottery shop/gallery, to ask for directions. the lady there gave us directions, but added, that “their cemetery is better”. although Hope was awesome, she was correct, hers was better. awesome works of art, but in a more natural, peaceful setting. not sure of the town we were in, it was near/next to Barre.
My favorite is Old Burial Hill near Redd’s Pond in Marblehead, MA.